Star Bright, Star Shine

I injured my thumb, so Judo would have to be put on hold for a little bit, sometimes we don't always get to do what we want, sometimes life doesn't work out to how we plan.

I spent my extra time running now. It is perhaps the one constant thing I always come back to. There is a familiarity to the road that is comforting. It is its nature to be solid and supportive. It has seen me in rage and grief, pain and joy, hope and confusion.

And the road demands so little, just a bit of my time now and then. The conversation would last as long as I want; the road stretches on forever.

Our conversation is simple; a steady rhythmic vibration felt from the bottom of my feet - step after step. There is nothing complicated about running or roads. It is one of the few things I understand. There is beauty in its simplicity.

Whatever problem I may have, running makes it seem smaller. My thought naturally focuses on inhaling and exhaling. The noise of my mind would fade into background. The struggle for breath and air puts other problems into perspective. They become more trivial, more manageable.

It is not often I jog during daylight. I don't jog for the green trees or grass, not for the pretty flower or warm sun; I jog for myself. I found it easier to be myself at night, where it is quiet.

Once a while, even under the polluted sky a few stars would come through. Then it would just be the road, the stars, and me. "Stars are far apart from each other," she says. "They do not have to touch to know each other. They shine at each other from far away." I like that statement, it makes me think how people I know are all connected, perhaps by the ray we generate within.

Meaning

The pursuit on the meaning of life is universal and eternal. In all the history of man no consensus has been made on this subject. The thought then occurred to me, perhaps there is not just one meaning to life. After all, even a single word contains multiple definitions; thus life, which encompasses all words, would no doubt contain more than one answer.

I have erred in hoping to seek meaning from a universal point of view, like how man hope to track space and time absolutely. Space and time is relative so must be judged from a reference, and this is how i came to view life and its meaning.

The meaning of life depends not only on the point of view, but also of the time. i believe the basis premise of life is the ability to change, influence, reproduce, and survive. The first two factors are closely related, one is the ability to change oneself, the other is the ability to change others or the environment. The last two are equally related. Reproduction is the survival of one's gene and survival is the preservation of one's life. Looking from this way, life at its most basic is change and survival.

The meaning of life then is how we define those two basic things. People view survival differently. Some find family and the continuation of gene to be utmost important. They find meaning in love of family. Other find spirituality to be utmost important in survival, thus they emphasize on religion. Then there are others who think true immortality can only be found in their work, thus projects were built, books were written, and great tombs are constructed. Some find survival in friend's memory and find meaning in that, so they judge friendship important.

Since there is not just one answer, I don't have to declare one truth over the other, I don't have to just pick on meaning and live by it. I may find family more important on New Years Eve, I may find Friends more important on their birthdays, I may find my projects important during work hour. Meaning of life is dependent upon time.

It is also more than that. Life itself is limited by time. If I have eternity then I would find my priority very different from if I have just one more day to live. So partly, the meaning of life is determined by time. An 80 year old man may tell you honestly of the meaning of life and it would not apply to you. Some wisdom is only true when you are at the right stage to receive it.

[Thoughts]

Surf Privately with Privacy

Well, Seems like the Bush Administration is asking all major internet search company to hand over millions of user search data. So far Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL were asked and have handed some data over. Google was also asked but refused in order to protect user privacy. Here are the details in a couple different sources.

I am sort of sick of all the bad news coming from US. So I am not going to speak ill of Bush administration nor will I mention any names.
I am just here to tell you how to protect yourself. There are easy ways to surf the web anonymously. The easiest way is to surf by proxy. There are many many privacy website that serve as a middle point hub, insulating you from contacting the website you access.

In effect, the websites you access won't see you surfing the website, they will only see that middle point hub. These kind of websites are called "anonymizers". I never actually use them because website loads a bit slower when going through a middle point.

The one that is more frequently used on my blog site by other people is anonymization. I am not sure why people come to my site anonymously, I find it slightly amusing. Only about 0.5% of people use them though, I suppose it is better to be careful and surf privately, I just never remember to use it.

Here is a link that compiles all the proxy server and website out there probably a couple hundred links with description. I have not tried any of them. Let me know which one you like better and I will update this blog reflecting your opinion.

[Politics][Technology]

Just Another Saturday

Where is the nurse when you need one?

We moved office today.

The construction project has finally reached final stage and they are now working on the ceiling right above our old office. The main contractor decide the best way to spent a sunny saturday is to make it into a giant moving day. This is why I went in for work on this lovely day.

The day is not as bad as i thought. 11 office tables, 6 desktop computers, 2 conference tables, a mountain of paper work, a dozen man-sized filing cabinet, a drinking fountain, and one evil hippo-sized office printer. We finished moving in 7 hours, but have not organized anything yet.

So why is the hippo sized printer evil? well, it sort of landed on my hand, causing a respectable bruise right on my thumb. My thumb-nail now looks purplish; my thumb swollen to twice the original size. This post is typed entirely with my left hand.

There is one good news though, I now have a chance to test out the camera function on my new cell phone and the quality of pictures looked nice. Considering the new office doesn't have light nor electricity at the time, I think the cell phone camera is decent.

My Fat Thumb [Side View]

My Purple Thumb [Top View]

I injured myself while carrying the hippo-sized evil printer with a young lady. Interestingly, another male worker also hurt himself while carrying the conference table with her. We couldn't figure out if she carry somesort of negative energy or if it is pure chance. We were waiting for a third accident to happen but that third data point never arrived so we couldn't triangluate the cause and calculate probable risk in relation to distance with her.

Here is the other poor guy's injury.

Bashed Middle Finger >_< [Top View]

Bashed Middle Finger After Proper Rescue [Front View]

Yes, He just pointed his middle finger at you. The rest of the article include pictures taken during the rescue operation. These pictures are graphic because Iodine [the red stuff used to cleanse would] looks likes blood. So the following pictures looks like someone took a chainsaw to our fingers.

Do not click on the below link if:

1. You are my girlfriend. (well, you can if you really want to)
   
2. You are eating.
3. You faint at the sight of blood.
4. You dislike horror movie.

...Read more


We decided to treat our wounds with Iodine to disinfect. It hurts like 10,000 paper cuts with salt on top.

Top of my hand with Iodine [Top View]

We decide to drench the other guy's middle finger in Iodine just to be safe. His injury seems pretty bad. We think his nail will fall off >_<.

Other guy's middle finger in Iodine Lake [Top View]

My Thumb [top] and His Finger [bottom]

Lastly, that guy's finger drenched in blood (well, actually iodine)

The Little Things in Life

I was just checking to see what kind of accessories I can buy for my new cell phone. This one takes the cake.



I was tempted to buy one just to say I have one but in the end common sense prevailed. I end up getting a normal leather casing for my Nokia6230i.


PS. I also bought Logitech's QuickCam Fusion.

Random Quotations

"I really hope he calls today, so I can hang up on him.
~Ally McBeal

Jack Taylor said to his 6 year old daughter, "Maggie, when you grow up and are incredibly beautiful and intelligent and possess a certain sweetness that's... that's like a distant promise to the brave, to the worthy, could you please not beat to a pulp every miserable bastard that comes your way simply because you can? Could you not do that?"
Maggie Taylor said sweetly, "Okay Daddy."
~One Fine Day

"This above all: to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day; Thou canst not then be false to any man."
~William Shakespeare, 'Hamlet,' Act I, Scene iii

"The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues makes them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed."
~Ernest Hemmingway A Farewell to Arms

John after he told Ally he love her: "Well, that‘s the trouble I suppose in coming to people with honesty, they sometimes counter with it."
~Ally McBeal

"Anything you lose automatically doubles in value."
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection is the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted."
~Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behaviour

WebCam

One of my friend, actually my girlfriend, wanted me to get a webcam so I did a little research. Logitech seems to be the leading company for these type of electronic gadget and Creative is another big name.

The cheapest webcam on Logitech (which is the only website I looked up because it is 3:26am and I am lazy) is 40 USD. The one that seems to have the best review for USB2.0 port connection is QuickCam Fusion - 99 USD.


The Design is intriguing, instead of a clip like most webcam, it uses a counter balance and hangs on the top of your LCD monitor. Which means if you don't have an LCD monitor, a USB2.0 connection, and a pretty fast computer, you don't want to buy this webcam. The shape of this equipment is almost organic as you can see from a side view.


On the same note of shopping, I probably won't be getting a Nokia8800. It doesn't seem as impressive when I went into the store and held the cell phone to my hand. It just doesn't seem to be worth the 1,000 USD price =P Also all reviews indicated it has a terrible battery life.

I am now leaning towards Nokia6230i [3100 NTD] and Sony Ericsson W550i [4800 NTD]























References:
Mobile Phones UK Online Guide
Nokia Taiwan
Sony Ericsson Global Phone Portfolio
1 US Dollar = 32 NT (Taiwanese Dollar)

[Trivial]

Heaven

If there is a heaven in the religious sense, then all beings must have an equal chance of gaining entrance. I would imagine heaven is full of trees, for trees never seem to do much harm and always good.

Seems like an odd image, I know. Other people's image of heaven is usually white and full of clouds. Mine is strangely full of animals and trees. Human beings are really just one of billions of species. I would imagine by virtue and chance we would only occupy a very small amount of space in heaven.

Recently my friend's cat passed away. It was a good cat. It did no harm except to leather furnitures and shoes. I think if there is a heaven, that cat would be there.

Maybe I am biased, but I hope the gates of heaven doesn't admit too many mosquitos. Even though heaven would be perfect and the mosquitos wouldn't have to drink my blood to live, I have came to really hate the unique sound they make while flying around. I will heed the wishes of cows, pigs, and chicken to stay away from them in heaven. I wonder if mosquitos will listen and stay away from me as well.

Of course, I am assuming a lot by saying I will be in heaven and that heaven exists. Still, it is something interesting to think about.

I have never been very good with deaths. This would have to serve as a tribute to my friend's cat 咪咪. May the cat find peace and many leather things; may each of us find meaning and resolution in our limitations.



[Thoughts]

Captured Memory

The Bike Trip started around noon. I was the funny looking guy with the Judo uniform.


Before excerising, we all agree it was a good idea to fuel up first ^_^ Can't bike on an empty stomach.


With light steps, they walked forward.


But of course, not before more pictures.


Someone thought her red hat would look good on me.


...and we biked and biked and biked. Here is a picture when we took a break. I love this particular picture. She looks thoughtful. I wonder what she was thinking.


14 miles later we took an afternoon tea break at one of the cafe. We were very pleased to find they have both coffee, tea, cakes, and mozerilla sticks.


We then took a boat across the river.


The water glittered like stars.



We looked at the sunset, and pondered about the last 13 miles we have to bike ^_^


I like photos that are taken from the side or the back. They seem to capture emotions better. Or maybe it is just that my active imagination puts the emotion into the empty canvas

The more complete set of photos are on my MSN Space.

Silly Me

3am, I really should be sleeping. Yet there is a strange desire to stay up and simply think quietly. To most people, the choice would be clear - either the oblivious peace of sleep or wakeful troubling ponderance.

I never seem to pick the easy path.

Neither in this case can i justify it as the right path. I have Judo at 10:30am and Biking in the afternoon. I should get some sleep so I might be good for something tomorrow.

Yet there is a sense of expectancy, like a pause of total silence in the middle of a song, which made me think if I just wait a little bit a revelation would come to me. Then this mysterious aching need would be fulfilled and everything will be put to right.

I looked around, nothing came. Maybe if I just stay up for a little longer the answer will come to me.



[Thoughts]

Lack of Cannery Factory?

There are many interesting issues lately, "Taiwan Breeds Transgenic, Fluorescent Green Pigs" for one - does it not remind you of Dr. Seuss's poem Green Egg and Ham? Those wacky taiwanese scientist, what would they think of next?


There is also "Tapping Trees for Electricity". Currently they can get 2 volts out of a single tree but no mention of the relevent current. I found the concept strangely disturbing and matrix-like. But instead of us being the battery we are making another living being (trees) into our power source. However, I suppose we already cut them down and burn them for fuel, so this could be argued as no worse than what we have done for thousands of years. Yet still, I find the concept disturbing, perhaps I am just old fashioned and out of step with time.

I always have this strange idea that plants and trees talk. It is just that we don't listen very well. I also think it would be a neat idea to have a precise language translator for animals. Maybe one for dogs, one for cats, and another for birds. I bet animals have something interesting to say. Sometimes I think we humans talk so much we never really had time to settle down and listen to other life-forms. ^_^ Sometimes we talk so much we don't even listen to the people around us. When is the last time you say hello to someone and really stop to listen to the reply? Maybe such is the price for a modern and busy society. Everything must be faster, better, and cheaper.

It reminded me of a story I read once. A business man by chance met a fisherman and started a friendly conversation.
"That is a nice fishing boat you got there!" Business man said while eyeing the boat with speculation.
"This old piece of wood? It floats on water, which is good enough for me." Fisherman says with a hint of pride.
"With a boat like this I bet you can make enough to retire in 20 years" Business man said with excitment.
"Retire in 20 years? How would I do that?" Fisherman asked with interest.
"First, you catch enough fish for the first few years to save some money to buy a second ship. Then you can hire some hands to work for you and be a capatain of a small fleet. 10 years later, you will have enough money to start a Cannery Factory to make canned fish and supply the town. In 15 years you would be able to expand through out the country. In 20 years, you would have enough money to retire!"
"What do I do once I retire?" Fisherman said with some doubt at this 20 year plan.
"Why, you can just sit around and fish in the morning and then spent time with your family in the afternoon, it would be wonderful!"
"But I already do that, I catch my 10 fish then I go home to my family, why do I need to wait 20 years to do that?"

What the fisher man says struck me as true. I have enough to eat, a place to sleep, and the love of a few. I am mostly satisfied - as I should be.

But what the business man says also struck me as true, because sometimes, unexpectedly there would be an emptiness I can't explain. Perhaps that emptiness is because of the lack of my own cannery factory? ^_^



[Thoughts]

自行車之旅(關渡-八里)

關渡大橋

Group Bike Ride this Saturday. Seems like a good way for me to exercise and for my camera to flex its tiny muscle. I promise some pictures in the days to come ^_^. Some of Ruey's friends seem like master planners. They made a campaign out of this bike trip, date, time, price, logistics, alternative plans, schedules, and even a word of prayer for good weather at the end. The Army recruiter is definitely missing out; some of these girls would make a fine General.

自行車之旅(關渡-八里)

日期:1/14(六)

集合時間&地點: 關渡捷運站-捷運族P.M.12.00

關渡宫小吃廣場-開車族PM:12.20(車子可停關渡宫停車場)

P.S.停車資訊:

關渡捷運站停車場 50元/次

知行路平面停車場 20元/時 北投區知行路260巷內 24小時營業

關渡水岸自然公園平面停車場 30元/時 北投區知行路、關渡官前 營業10-18

行程:

12.45 由關渡租借站出發(沿途走走停停) – 13.45 八里碼頭 (在八里騎車、活動與午餐,可以吃小吃或到左岸會館喝咖啡)

方案一: (甲借乙還車)

15.30 在八里還車,搭渡輪到淡水盡情的逛老街,繼續的吃,在淡水看夕陽後,搭車回台北或到關渡取轎車

方案二: (一般車)

15.00 由八里連同自行車搭渡輪到淡水碼頭,稍微逛一下街(因為有自行車,所以不是很方便活動)

16.00 由淡水出發沿著捷運的自行車步道回關渡

17.00 回到關渡還自行車後,回台北

方案三: (一般車)

16.00 由八里沿著原路線回關渡,我想應該可以看到黃昏美麗的淡水對岸

17.00 回到關渡還車,返家

費用預估:

協力車 $300 (關渡借八里還,租半天約4小時)

一般車 $200~300(關渡借八里還,租半天約4小時.)

P.S. 如果不是租借 甲地乙還的車,會更便宜且時間可使用更久, 一般自行車使用一天約$180

渡輪 人(全票) $18

渡輪 車 $20

Earliest Memory

My earliest memory is of birds. More specificly, white pigeons. I remember the overwhelming desire to lay my tiny hands on the bird.

Whenever my parents took me outdoors my eyes would invariably follow the path of the nearest bird - usually on the ground pecking seeds.

Strangely, I never thought about capturing one of the them, nor harboring any desire to bring one back home. I just very much wanted to touch the white feather upon the warm body.

"How would it feel?" That is perhaps the first curosity I can recall.

Like a well trained puppy,
the boy is eyeing the nearest bird.

p.s. yes, I did wear my pants well up to the middle of my stomach when I was 2. It was probably more of a horrendous mistake as suppose to an early fashion statement ^_^

[Thoughts]

Cell Phone Designs - 手機類型

I was doing some research to see what type of phone I want to buy. Suprisingly there are no webpage defining various types of cell phone designs. Took me hours just to figure out how the industry refer to each model. Here are the results in both chinese and english.


Jacknife, Swivel, Rotator, [旋轉式]:
I call it Jackknife, because of the way it opens - horizontal circular motion. But the more popular and official term is Swivel Phone.



Clamshell, [貝殼掀蓋式]:
A specific type of Flip Phone that is very popular. It is more round like a sea-shell.



Flip Phone, Flip-Flop, [折疊式]:
Any phone that flips open.



Brick, Boxtype, Tower, [舊型大哥大]:
This is the old type of cell phones. Big, black, tall, and heavy. You can double it as a baton to defend yourself ^_^



Stick, Candybar, [直立式]:
Candybar Model Cell phone is made famous by Nokia. It is their signature look.



Spring Action Slide, Slider, Extractor, Slide, Slim Slide, [滑蓋式]:
Mostly known as Slider Phones, these type are somewhat new. The style is first made popular in Korea by Samsung. This is the type of phone I am looking to buy.


Twist, [旋轉式, 反旋式, ]:
The newest type of phone. I have only seen Nokia with these type of phone.


I am leaning towards Nokia 8800, Motorola U6, and Nokia 7360.
I also like LG F7200 but it is only offered in US >_<

Nokia 8800

Motorola U6

Nokia 7360

LG F7200